What is Permaculture?

map in garden permacultureOriginally developed by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in Australia, Permaculture takes from aboriginal culture, pattern recognition, modern sustainability technology to create whole systems which are regenerative and beneficial to both human and natural systems. Permaculture simply means, “permanent agriculture” and/or “permanent culture”. Much of the way we live today is not sustainable. Utilizing permaculture techniques and tools, we can create systems which not only provide for our needs, but benefit natural habitats and ecosystems as well.

Why would I want to pursue certification for my building?

cert_mark_cert_colorLEED Certification saves money and energy!

Creating a tight building envelope and using highly efficient heating, cooling and ventilation systems will reduce utility bills, making your project cheaper to maintain and more desirable to occupants who pay their utility bills. LEED is third party verified, so you know the finished building meets the highest standards in sustainable design.

Certification gets you known in the industry!

Rating Systems like LEED, WELL, The Living Building Challenge and Enterprise Green Communities allow your project and team to stand out in as a leader in sustainability and building health. Earning certification means that your project has been proven to meet the rigorous criteria set forth by the certifying organizations. Not only will your building be more sustainable, but you’ll be able to showcase the building’s sustainable strategies and build your place as a leader in sustainability.

What is The WELL Building Standard?

The WELL Building Standard was designed to address health issues within the built environment. As we spend most of our lives in buildings, it’s important that those buildings provide clean air and water, healthy food options, optimal light, comfortable spaces and minimizes stress. WELL looks to address all these issues in order to provide clear guidelines for workplace improvement. Using the strategies in WELL has been scientifically proven to improve employee moral, retention and productivity.

What is the Living Building Challenge?

The Living Building Challenge is a certification program focusing on regenerative design techniques that push beyond sustainability. Living Buildings produce more energy than they consume and capture and filter water to meet the needs of the building. Buildings achieving certification have also gone through a strict material vetting process using the “Red List” which provides a long list of chemicals that are prohibited from use due to their know health and environmental hazards. The Living Building Challenge is facilitated by The Living Future Institute and provides strategies from seven petal areas:

  1. Place
  2. Water
  3. Energy
  4. Health and Happiness
  5. Materials
  6. Equity
  7. Beauty

What areas do you serve?

We currently focus consulting in Boston, New York, Hartford and Providence as we are based in the Northeastern United States. For the right project we will travel anywhere.

Feel free to contact us, we would be happy to discuss your potential project.